Friends takes place in New York City, one of America's most diverse cities, and at the time of the show's premiere, white people accounted for only 40 percent of the city's population according to the 1990 US Census. But instead of drawing upon experiences from people of different backgrounds, Friends focuses on the white experience, rarely touching on the subject of race. In fact, throughout all 10 seasons and 236 episodes, only two named characters are people of colour: Julie (Ross's girlfriend in season one, played by Lauren Tom) and Dr. Charlie Wheeler (Ross's other girlfriend, who didn't appear until season nine, played by Aisha Tyler).
In addition to focusing solely on the white experience, the series also puts straight love stories at the forefront. The only reoccurring queer characters in the show are Carol, Ross's ex-wife, and her partner Susan, whose relationship was always addressed as a joke, as the couple was often referred to as "lesbian lovers," never as just a couple. And since we're on the subject of the jokey, offencive way queer relationships are treated on the show . . .